Going for First Real Job - EMTLife.com - The #1 Online Forum for EMS-Related Discussion

Rocketmedic40 · 06-12-2011, 04:51 PM

I'm going to Culberson County Hospital (Van Horn, TX) for my first real paramedic job interview next weekend. I've managed to work it out with my command, so I'll be able to work 2-3 weekends a month for the next 18 months, then I'll be out of the Army and able to work for real hours. I've got nearly two years as a paramedic and four in EMS (three in the Army), but I don't have a lot of experience as a civilian-side paramedic, and I'm hoping that this job will let me get some much-needed experience under my belt. The way I see it, I'm young and totally able to learn, and I need as much learning as I can get before I lose that guaranteed paycheck.

Anyways, the job is a hybrid ER Tech/Paramedic, where I'd be working in the ER/clinic until a call comes in, then fall into the prehospital role. I'm really excited. If I get hired, I'll be a lot happier, I'll learn a lot and become a better medic, and most importantly, I think I can really help people. (It'll make me a better 68W too, but since I'm ETSing in 17 months, that's the bottom of the priority list).

Anyways, does anyone have any interview tips for a first 'real' paramedic job?

HotelCo · 06-12-2011, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocketmedic40

Anyways, does anyone have any interview tips for a first 'real' paramedic job?

You're a 68W, so I'd play that up some. Tell them that you're able to work under pressure, and know how to take charge on a call. Don't let them think you're cocky though. Let them know that you're willing (and eager) to learn from those who are more experienced than you. Sir/Ma'am until told otherwise during the interview. Try and be relaxed as well. Let them see who you are. That's the purpose of the interview. They already know your qualifications for the job, this is the point where they want to see who you are as a person, and what type of employee you'll be.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes. Thank you for your service, as well.

Rocketmedic40 · 06-12-2011, 05:18 PM

I'm pretty comfy with patients and leadership and all of that stuff, but I really feel like I need more practice- you learn more in a shift than you do in a year of training, and even though I work pretty routinely at sick call/ER/clinic, I still learn from EMS a lot too. I'm thinking that this looks like a lot of what I'm used to, just more often, and a lot more fun. I know I can function well enough to pass now, but I'm never comfortable with "I know enough", because I don't think I'll ever know enough to be perfect. I reckon there's always room for improvement.

Plus rural-with-an-interstate = really, really, really intense potential for calls. I remember my dad's old days in Barstow, CA and Ridgecrest, CA- rediculous car wrecks and calls. Van Horn looks very similar to Baker, CA- another town famous for really intense stuff.

I'm really excited and hope they'll hire me.

**TransportJockey** · 06-12-2011, 05:19 PM

Culberson also covers (or is supposed to) the I20/I10 split. While I worked the next county over from them we would mutual aid them for wrecks there and there were some nasty ones. Good luck man. That's a fun area to work in.

Rocketmedic40 · 06-12-2011, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TransportJockey

Culberson also covers (or is supposed to) the I20/I10 split. While I worked the next county over from them we would mutual aid them for wrecks there and there were some nasty ones. Good luck man. That's a fun area to work in.

Any tips for the area? My paramedic instructor was pretty firmly against it, but she also wants me to work for Del Sol or Providence here in El Paso- good, but I think Culberson County looks like a bit more fun (and it's EMS, which is a plus. I don't want my weekend 'fun' job to be entirely in an ER).

This also fits into my post-Army plans. Paramedic (potentially FF/Medic, potentially private) somewhere in the Midwest (preferentially Texas, especially Acadian Bexar County), and enjoy.

Just driving through Van Horn looks intense.

Rocketmedic40 · 06-12-2011, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TransportJockey

Culberson also covers (or is supposed to) the I20/I10 split. While I worked the next county over from them we would mutual aid them for wrecks there and there were some nasty ones. Good luck man. That's a fun area to work in.

We've been cross-training with El Paso Fire on rideouts, which is fun, but the transport times are pretty short, and the protocols aren't terribly aggressive (although I have enjoyed them greatly and learned a lot). I'm really looking forward to Culberson's more aggressive protocols and longer transports. The Army is a mixed bag- my protocols are very advanced in some areas, very restrictive in others, entirely dependent on unit, and the patient population and volume really focuses towards non-emergent NVD/musculoskeletal with a small helping of dehydration/other medical.

As an aside, I'm hoping that a few months with Culberson will let me start bringing one of our new medics along with me on a shift- of course, I'll have to have the hospital clear it, but if it's possible, it will definitely help the guys replacing me before they deploy again. Observing now might mean a save or better performance or even a save on an American or local in 2013.

Rocketmedic40 · 06-18-2011, 09:12 PM

Hired! I start next weekend- I was very impressed. Culberson County looks to be a very professional team and I'm really excited to be working with them. They've got a lot of awesome there and that hospital is pretty awesome for El Paso, much less Van Horn!

The area is massive. TJ, you were not kidding about that.

fast65 · 06-19-2011, 01:08 AM

Congratulations!!!

06-12-2011, 05:18 PM	#3
Rocketmedic40 Premium Member Kool-Aid Kool-Aid! Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Red Dirt Country Posts: 1,497 Training: EMT-Paramedic	I'm pretty comfy with patients and leadership and all of that stuff, but I really feel like I need more practice- you learn more in a shift than you do in a year of training, and even though I work pretty routinely at sick call/ER/clinic, I still learn from EMS a lot too. I'm thinking that this looks like a lot of what I'm used to, just more often, and a lot more fun. I know I can function well enough to pass now, but I'm never comfortable with "I know enough", because I don't think I'll ever know enough to be perfect. I reckon there's always room for improvement. Plus rural-with-an-interstate = really, really, really intense potential for calls. I remember my dad's old days in Barstow, CA and Ridgecrest, CA- rediculous car wrecks and calls. Van Horn looks very similar to Baker, CA- another town famous for really intense stuff. I'm really excited and hope they'll hire me. Last edited by Rocketmedic40; 06-12-2011 at 05:19 PM.

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06-12-2011, 04:51 PM	#1
Rocketmedic40 Premium Member Kool-Aid Kool-Aid! Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Red Dirt Country Posts: 1,497 Training: EMT-Paramedic	Going for First Real Job I'm going to Culberson County Hospital (Van Horn, TX) for my first real paramedic job interview next weekend. I've managed to work it out with my command, so I'll be able to work 2-3 weekends a month for the next 18 months, then I'll be out of the Army and able to work for real hours. I've got nearly two years as a paramedic and four in EMS (three in the Army), but I don't have a lot of experience as a civilian-side paramedic, and I'm hoping that this job will let me get some much-needed experience under my belt. The way I see it, I'm young and totally able to learn, and I need as much learning as I can get before I lose that guaranteed paycheck. Anyways, the job is a hybrid ER Tech/Paramedic, where I'd be working in the ER/clinic until a call comes in, then fall into the prehospital role. I'm really excited. If I get hired, I'll be a lot happier, I'll learn a lot and become a better medic, and most importantly, I think I can really help people. (It'll make me a better 68W too, but since I'm ETSing in 17 months, that's the bottom of the priority list). Anyways, does anyone have any interview tips for a first 'real' paramedic job?

06-18-2011, 09:12 PM	#7
Rocketmedic40 Premium Member Kool-Aid Kool-Aid! Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Red Dirt Country Posts: 1,497 Training: EMT-Paramedic	Hired! I start next weekend- I was very impressed. Culberson County looks to be a very professional team and I'm really excited to be working with them. They've got a lot of awesome there and that hospital is pretty awesome for El Paso, much less Van Horn! The area is massive. TJ, you were not kidding about that.